Thomas roberts and patrick lennox



Ir MMM LLL l'l N. PETERS. PHDTO-LITHOGRAFER, WASHINGTON D C @einen tutes @anni @frn Lett/:r3 Patent lVo. 70,268, dated October 29, 186i'.

IMPROVED MACHINE FOR BEAMIN G HIDES 0R SKINS,`

"ef/lie Segnale trama tuin iig-rst rttcts @anni nnb mating putt nf tigt sinn.

TO` ALL WHOM IT MAY CO'NCERN: i Be it known that we, THOMAS ROBEItTs and PATRICK LENNOX, of Lynn, in the county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Machine for Beorning Ilides or Skins, as well as for scouring and sleelting leather; and do hereby declare the following to he a i'ull, clear, and exact description thereof,l

due reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side view, Figure 2 a vertical and longitudinal section, Figure 3 a front end view, and Figure 4 a plan of the said machine.

The operation et' beaming skins, as at present practised is well known, the skins, after undergoing the softening process, being manipulated upon a horizontal beam by means of a toolY held in the hands of a workman. This operation is very laborious, and requires much time for its accomplishment. v

The object of this linvention is to produce a praetieuhsimple, and eli'ective machine-fer performing this opcratiomand consists in the employment of a sliding carriage, properly suspended by suitable ways, and carryinga beaming or slecking-tool, the necessary' reciprocating movements being imparted to the carriage by the agency of'a crank, or an equivalent motor; the machine being further provided with a movable car for supporting the skins and introducing them to the action of the beamingtool. i

To enable others skilled inthe craft to which ourinvention appertains to understand and use the invention, we will describe its construction and operation. i I

As illustrated in the drawings above referred to, A denotes a sliding carriage, properly supported by guides orways B B, upheld by a proper framework, C. The necessary reciprocating rectilinear movements are imparted to this carriage by the agency of a connecting-rod, D, oneA end 4of which is piveted to the carriage, and the other to the wrist of a. crank, applied to the side, or making part of a ily-wheel, E, duly supported by posts F F rising upward from the ilooring G, forming part ofthe machine, or ofthe apartment in which the machine may be situated, the wheel being supported by a. horizontal shaft, a', revolving within the posts. A perpendieular bar, H, is fixed to and depends from the sliding carriage A, and. has a. beaming-tool, I, pivoted toits lower end, a spring-har, J, being hinged to the rear side of this tool, and having its other extremity fixed to the rear extremity of the connecting-rod D, as represented. This spring-, bar serves the purpose, during the forward movement of the sleeking-tool, to elevate it above the surface ofthe skin, and during the rearward movement of the tool to press it down upon and keep it in contact with the skin as the seid tool is'being drawn over it by the action of the crank or ,ily-wheel. The movable ca rfor supporting the skin is shown at Kl as composed of a dat, rectangular tablet, L, upheld by an upright post, a, which is supported within a truck, M, and so as to revolve freely therein. The truck M is composed ofa rectangular frame, Z2, carrying four or any other suitable number of wheels c c'c c, ete., and being` further provided with a circular platform, (Z, surmounting its truck- 'rame, and sustained in position by spiral springs e e, ete., suitably applied, the object of these springs being to form an elast-ic bed for the tablet L. For the purpose of reducing friction upon the tablet L, we apply to the post a a. series of'radial arms,fff, etc., to the outer ends of whiehtwe apply,(and so as to revolve freely thereon) a friction-roller, g, the disposition or arrangement of these` arms and rollers being such as to support the tablet upon the platform d, and to allow it to revolve freely thereon. Two parallel rails, 7L L, are Yapplied to the Hooring of the machine, and in alignment with the carriage A, which they support and guide. Furthermore, the car K may be provided with a. brake, to stop and maintain it inV any desired position with respect to the beamingtool, the device to accomplish-this object, as shown in the drawings, being a. catchbar, t', hinged to the front end of thccar, and having a tooth formed upon its innerf end or arm to take `into a series of notches, jjj, formed in a central rail, c, applied to the loor of the machine, and midway between the two rails h 71 as before mentioned. The forward or outer arm of the catch-bar z' projects beyond the car-truck a suflieient distance to enable it to be readily grasped by the attendant of the machine. i

Inthc operationfof the above-described machine the brake is removed from the rackbar,\and the car K run forward beyond the sliding carriage-A,and into a convenient position to receive the skin to be manipulated, which, after being softened by the usualprocesais to he placed upon the top of the tablet, or upon a bolstcr, made in the usual manner, andhpplied toit, the skin being secured Vat about its middle to the tablet-by any proper device, that shown in the accompanying drawings being a groove or channel, Z, cut transversely across the tablet and towards its forward end, into which a clamp-bar, m, isinserted, thus securely fastening this part of the skin to the tablet. The machine is intended to manipulate one-half of the skin at atime, and the object of securing the skin to the tablet in the manner above described is 'to leave one-half of it exposed to the action of the beaming or sleeking-tool. The car, with the skin xed upon it in manner as described, is to be run back into a position beneath the sleeking-tool to receive the proper actions of the tool, and there locked in position by means of the brake. By the backward and forward movements cf the carriage A the be lining-tool I will press upon th-e skin from its centre outwards, thc tablet L being revolved about under and during the action of the tool I, in order vto subject allparts of it to its action. When the skin may have been thoroughly manipulated the car is run forward, the skin reversed so as to expose its opposite half to the action of the machine,

afterl undergoing which it is removed, and afresh skin substituted.

By the employment of tl1e.abovedescribed machine a great amount of time and manual labor is saved.

The skins are reduced to a uniform and even thickness, and the whole work performed in a more thorough and perfect manner. Other advantages incident to its use will manifest themselves to persons conversant with the business. By the employment of the movable car the skins may be applied to and removed from it,- and subjected to the action ofthe machine withput stopping its movements-a great advantage, which would not accrue from the employment of a fixed table. By the employment of the revolving tablet the necessary movements of the skin are perfectly guided and controlled.

We would remark here that the joint between the perpendicular bar H and beaming-tool I should be such as to allow the latter to be turned upward in one direction, but rigid or unyielding in the opposite direction, as shown in iig. 2.

We claim the combination, with the sliding carriage, and mechanism for imparting a reciprocating motion to the same, of the hinged or pivoted beaming-tool'and spring, or equivalent mechanism for actuating the. same during the movements of the said carriage, in the manner herein shownand specified.

We claim the employment of the spring-bar J for the purpose of raising the tool I from oli the skin during one movement of the tool, and pressing it down in contact with the skin during the opposite movement of it, essentially in manner as set forth and explained.

We also claim, in combination with the above-describedarrangement of parts, the movable car K, inmanner and to operate as before described.

We also claim the peculiar construction of the oar K, as composed of the truck-frame 6,' circular platform d, and revolving tablet L, supported by the friction-rollers g g, etc., substantially as before described.

We also claim, in combination with the car K, the device for locking it in position, consisting of the catolibar t' and notched rail c, as and for the purposes set forth.

THOMAS ROBERTS,-

PATRICK LENNOX. Witnesses:

FREDERICK CURTIS CnAs. H. GRIFFIN. 

